Differentiation of Croatian Representatives of Genus Canis Based on Y Chromosome

Cilj ovog rada bio je istražiti mogućnost razlikovanja pripadnika roda Canis prisutnih u Hrvatskoj (vuk Canis lupus, pas Canis lupus familiaris i čagalj Canis aureus) na temelju polimorfnih mjesta na Y kromosomu. Mogućnost identifikacije vrsta na temelju DNK značajna je zbog provedbe istaživanja, zaštite ugroženih vrsta, forenzičkih slučajeva, upravljanja populacijama, te nadoknade šteta koju počine zakonom zaštićene vrste. Pripadnici roda Canis morfološki su slični, dok je razlikovanje na temelju DNK moguće analizom mikrosatelita i mitohondrijske DNA. Budući se mtDNA naslijeđuje po majčinskoj liniji, cilj je uhodati metodu za utvrđivanje vrsne pripadnosti po očevoj liniji. Istraživanje je provedeno na fragmentu Y kromosoma dužine 672 pb na deset uzoraka vuka, sedam uzoraka psa i sedam uzoraka čaglja. Na istraživanom slijedu Y kromosoma kod vuka i psa iz Republike Hrvatske nisu nađena polimorfna mjesta, dok su kod čaglja pronađena dva polimorfna mjesta, lokus 143 na kojem vuk i pas imaju adenin, a čagalj gvanin, te lokus 196 na kojem vuk i pas imaju adenin, a čagalj timin. Temeljem toga zaključujemo da se vuk i pas iz Hrvatske ne mogu razlikovati na temelju istraživanog sljeda Y kromosoma, no možemo razlikovati čaglja od vuka i psa.The goal of this study was to investigate the possibility of distinguishing the members of the genus Canis present in Croatia (wolf Canis lupus, dog Canis lupus familiaris and golden jackal Canis aureus) based on the polymorphic sites on Y chromosome. Species differentiation based on DNA is important for scientific reserch, protection of endangered species, forensics, population management and refunding damages caused by protected species. Representatives of genus Canis are morphologically similar, while molecular identification is based on microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analysis. As mtDNA is inherited from maternal line, the aim was to develop a method for distinguishing the paternal line. We have analyzed 672 bp-long fragment of the Y chromosome of ten wolf, seven dog and seven golden jackal samples. We found no polymorphic sites on wolf and dog sequences, but golden jackal sequences had two polymorphic sites – on locus 143 wolf and dog had adenin, while jackal had guanin; and on locus 196 wolf and dog had adenin, but golden jackal had timin. We concluded that based on this Y chromosome fragment wolf and dog from Croatia can not be differentiated, but we can distinguish golden jackal from wolf and dog